The title of Earl of Sutherland is an ancient one in the Peerage of Scotland, created circa 1230. The titles were held by several men, until the death of John de Moravia, 9th Earl of Sutherland, when the title passed to his sister Elizabeth as he had no children. Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland married Adam Gordon, whose surname belonged to several of the next Earls of Sutherland. The title was again held by a long string of men, until the death of William Gordon, 18th Earl, without sons, when the title passed to his daughter Elizabeth.

Elizabeth, 19th Countess of Sutherland then married George Granville Leveson-Gower in 1785; he inherited the title of Marquess of Stafford from his father in 1803. The Marquess held vast lands and wealth, having inherited from his father, the first Marquess of Stafford, from his maternal uncle, the second Duke of Bridgewater, and also holding much property associated with the Earldom of Sutherland, which belonged to his wife. He was made Duke of Sutherland in 1833.

The Duke's son, also named George, inherited the Earldom of Sutherland from his mother and the Dukedom of Sutherland from his father. The two titles continued united until the death of the fifth Duke in 1963. The Earldom passed to his granddaughter Elizabeth, while the Dukedom had to pass to a male heir.

The subsidiary title associated with the Earldom is Lord Strathnaver (created 1230), which is used as a courtesy title by the Earl's or Countess' eldest son and heir.

The family seat is Dunrobin Castle , near Golspie in the traditional county of Sutherland in Scotland.

Earls of Sutherland (c. 1230)

• William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland (d. 1284)
• William de Moravia, 2nd Earl of Sutherland (d. 1307)
• William de Moravia, 3rd Earl of Sutherland (d. 1330)
• Kenneth de Moravia, 4th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1333)
• William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1370)
• Robert de Moravia, 6th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1427)
• John de Moravia, 7th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1460)
• John de Moravia, 8th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1508)
• John de Moravia, 9th Earl of Sutherland (d. 1514)
• Elizabeth de Moravia, 10th Countess of Sutherland (d. 1535)
• John Gordon, 11th Earl of Sutherland (c. 1526-1567)
• Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland (c. 1552-1594)
• John Gordon, 13th Earl of Sutherland (1576-1615)
• John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland (1609-1679)
• George Gordon, 15th Earl of Sutherland (1633-1703)
• John Gordon, 16th Earl of Sutherland (1661-1733)
• William Gordon, 17th Earl of Sutherland (1708-1750)
• William Gordon, 18th Earl of Sutherland (1735-1766)
• Elizabeth Gordon, 19th Countess of Sutherland (1765-1839)
• George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland (1786-1861)
• George Granville William Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland (1828-1892)
• Cromartie Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 4th Duke of Sutherland (1851-1913)
• George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 5th Duke of Sutherland (1888-1963)
• Elizabeth Millicent Leveson-Gower, 24th Countess of Sutherland (b. 1921)

her son and heir: Alistair Charles St. Clair Sutherland, Lord Strathnaver (b. January 7 1947)